


Cheesecake

by StrawberrySpring



Series: Lawlight College AU: Dessert edition [1]
Category: Death Note
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Halloween, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 11:47:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8444611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrawberrySpring/pseuds/StrawberrySpring
Summary: L and Light are college rivals who happen to have made out once or twice before. They are also loving brothers who will make sure their sibling gets the last cheesecake.Written for the Secret Shinigami Halloween Exchange. Prompt was 'Lawlight - Halloween Morning.'





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is an edited version of the fic I wrote for voldy-in-my-turban. Thanks to Veeraha for beta-reading :)

Autumn makes its presence known by painting the evening sky with a pink blush. The air is growing colder by minute, and Light wraps his scarf around his neck tighter. The tips of his fingers are numb and cold and he pushes them into his pocket, hoping they’d warm up. The streets are filled with families and couples, tired salarymen making their way home, and school kids having their last snack before heading out to cram schools.

Light falls in step. Going shopping with Sayu isn’t that bad after all; if anything, it’s keeping his mind off things.  The setting sun is glinting off the glass walls of the skyscraper up ahead, and everything lights up in bright gold. Light’s hand reaches up to shield his eyes. Sayu tugs on his arm and points excitedly at the bakery up ahead and Light snaps out of this thoughts.

‘Do you want to go in?’ he says to her. She nods enthusiastically. 

The air inside is warm and envelops them with the heavy aroma of caramel and butter. Light takes off his scarf and drapes it over his arms. Rem’s little boutique bakery was Sayu’s favorite place in the world since it opened a couple of years ago. Well, one of her favourites. The obvious other being the coffee shop in front of idol Hideki Ryuga’s house which she frequented before cram school.

Light prides himself on being an exemplary big brother. Spending the large part of his evening with his sister shopping for her Halloween costume is only natural and not at all because he was trying to avoid going out drinking with his university classmates. Sayu took to the task of finding her costume very seriously; several magazines were consulted, including one very intense session surfing pictures for ‘inspiration’ on Light’s computer as ordered by their mother. Light had no idea what she was dressing up as but it’d better be worth it.

It was around five-thirty when Sayu got done with her shopping. In good time too, since the party is in a few hours. It was only fitting that they finish a grueling day shopping for costumes with Rem’s strawberry cheesecake.

Rem’s cheesecakes are the stuff of dessert legends. Nobody among Sayu’s classmates has had the pleasure of tasting one, they’re always sold out in hours. Thanks to Light, Sayu had taken the delicacy home a couple times before, but her friends refuse to believe her. This time, she was determined to prove herself right by bringing the cheesecake to them during the party and Light was crucial to the plan. 

 

 

Light was exhausted; his shoulders were stiff and painful. He silently prayed that at least one cheesecake had survived; he was not mentally equipped for the tantrum Sayu would throw otherwise. She could be very stubborn.

As soon as they push the door open, Sayu skips inside and goes straight to the counter. To Light’s immense relief, the last remaining cheesecake stands proudly in between the chocolate cupcakes with their swirly frosting and the truffles behind the glass display, still unclaimed.

‘Oh my god yes! Thank god! They have it, Light look! There’s one left! Hey, Misa! I want the -’

‘That cheesecake is miiiiiine!’

A skinny boy with a blonde bob sprints to the counter, putting down his hands on the glass possessively with a thump. He glares at Sayu, who glares back. Light frowns. 

‘It’s mine. I came here first’, Sayu scowls at him.

'I said the words before you did’, the boy says, speaking defiantly. Clearly a seasoned bully. 'Hey! I want this cheesecake!’ he shouts at the oblivious blonde girl texting on her phone behind the counter.

'Hey no! I said it first. I told Misa I want the cheesecake-’ Sayu argues, turning to look at Light with a silent look pleading him to step in.

Light sighs. The last thing he wants to do is scare a ten year old over a cheesecake but apparently that’s what big brothers are supposed to do.

'Hey, I am sorry but we came first and Sayu already asked Misa, even if you interrupted her before she could speak.’ Light keeps his voice polite but firm.

The boy looks at him in disdain. 'Listen, Mr. Japan', he says calmly, 'I don’t give a flying _fuck_.'

Silence falls at his words. Misa and Sayu gasp audibly and the two other patrons in the shop quickly gather their packages and leave in a hurry. Light winces internally. He has always hated bullies, no matter what size they come in.

'Rem’s cheesecakes are the best thing in the world and I want it so I am gonna buy it, so you can save that fake politeness for someone else’, the boy adds tauntingly.

Sayu looks scandalized. Nobody has ever spoken so rudely to Light in front of her. 

Light raises his eyebrows - an entitled ten year old _brat_. He could deal with him. He throws him a pleasant smile and turns to face the counter.

The boy glares at him suspiciously. Light raps his knuckles lightly at the glass case close to where Misa stood, looking a little windswept, frozen with her phone in her hand. He had initially wanted to sneak away without giving her a chance to speak to her. Clearly things hadn’t gone according to the plan, and Light wasn’t anything if not a born improviser. This was a matter of his pride as a big brother now.

Misa possibly hadn’t noticed him yet because he was sure her enthusiasm at seeing him would be more noticeable. He raps his knuckles on the glass display again to catch her attention and flashes a charming smile at her. The effect is instantaneous.

'Light!’ she exclaims, perking up. She hops down from her stool and leans across the counter, beaming at him brightly. 'What brings you here? Misa-Misa hasn’t seen you in ages! It’s been _so_ long! How is university? How are things going? Did you find a girlfriend yet? Well, she has to meet me first, you know, Misa-Misa knows exactly the kind of person Light should be with, if not her-’

'Hey Misa’, Light interrupts pleasantly, sliding in to stand in front of the blond kid to block him from Misa’s view. The kid has to learn that bullying doesn’t get you far in the world. 'Things have been absolutely fine with me’ he continued. ‘Sayu loves Rem’s cheesecakes and I thought I would also get to see you here so we decided to come.’

Compliments always work, and as if on cue, Sayu beams at Misa, who waves back.

The blond kid is shouting angrily in a foreign language in the background. All three of them ignore him.

'Of course! Anything for my Light and his beautiful sister! I’ll go pack it’, Misa gets to work as Sayu gave Light a thumbs-up in appreciation. Light can see the blond kid gaping at Misa in shock, only to turn around and stomp away angrily after a few seconds. Light tries to convince himself that he isn’t feeling smug about his victory over a ten year old kid.

 

 

Misa is putting the cheesecake in the box, chattering happily about her last modeling gig to Light and Sayu when the blonde kid enters the shop again. Only this time he was accompanied by someone else.

Light’s smile disappears when he saw who it was.

'What a funny coincidence, Light-kun’, L says as Mello tugs him forward by the corner of his shirt sleeve, 'Mello just told me he was bullied into giving up his cheesecake by a boy with annoyingly perfect hair and I was ninety three percent sure it was you, especially when he mentioned the patronizing smile and the infuriatingly polite tone.’ L stops beside Light to face him, his hair in a bird’s nest state of disarray and his eyes fixed on Light.

Light rolled his eyes. 'I did not bully him. We came first and ordered the last cheesecake and he - your brother, I am assuming - came later. I don’t stoop so low as to bully people around to get my way’, he says pointedly.

Light hasn’t been able to get away from his university classmates after all. L and Light had been at loggerheads since the time they had entered University. Their arguments in class fulfilled everyone's quota of daily entertainment, even if they didn't really understand them. He was definitely the last person on Earth who should be lecturing Light on bullying, considering how he terrorizes poor Matsuda from Japanese history class.

'Um, are you guys talking about this cheesecake because we can just divide it in half if you both want -’ Misa offers. Both L and Light ignore her.

L takes a step towards Light. 'Do you mean to imply that I bully people around to get my way, Light-kun? It wasn’t me who just made a ten year old cry over cake ("I DIDN'T _CRY_!")'

Light steps closer. 'Oh you have done worse things over cake, L’.

'Like what, Light Yagami? Are you referring to that one time under the cherry blossom trees or that another time under the bleachers?’ L takes another step towards Light, voice dropping an octave.

Misa gasps, Sayu’s eyes widen and Mello looks more confused than ever.

Light bristles. He wants to punch L for mentioning that; it was supposed to be a _secret_.

'I don’t know what you are talking about.’ He steps closer, their noses almost touching. For better aim, of course. 'Are you mentioning that one time when you lost to me in the Pop Quiz and kicked the cherry blossom tree in anger and had to be pacified like a ten year old with cake when you got hurt?’ L’s lips look soft and probably taste like cake. Light wants to check for himself, just to be sure. 

To his immense satisfaction, L looks offended by his reply. He looks ready to punch Light too, which is probably why his hands found Light’s waist, to pull him closer. Light isn’t going to back down either, he feels his hands raise almost automatically to pull L closer by his shirt collar - to just grab and kiss him - oh wait, the plan had been to _punch_ , not -

'What’s happening here?’ Rem's deep voice interrupts them and the two of them jump apart. Rem appears behind Misa, her white and purple hair secured tightly with a hair net, accompanied by a stoic old man who comes to stand close to L. The man is, Light assumes, L’s guardian Watari. 

Rem clears her throat hoarsely, her eyes fixed on Light. She looks suspicious of him, and for good reason. She was always very protective of Misa, Light always thought it was a little strange. 

Mello eagerly volunteers to explain the situation to the two newcomers. 'I already called dibs on the last cheesecake but these guys claimed that it was theirs so I called L!’ He says, running towards Watari. Rem frowns and looks at Misa.

'There’s only one left?’ she asks. Misa nods at her, pouting. 'Ah well, alright well, in that case-’

'I will pay twice for the cheesecake if you let m- Sayu, I mean, have it’, Light speaks hastily, having regained his composure. L smirks. This is the Light Yagami he’d been wanting to see.

'Really, Light-kun? Are you trying to -’

'Double’, Light repeats firmly.

’- triple’, L says, mouth thinning into a half smile. Light narrows his eyes. 

'Triple and I will help Misa this weekend in the shop’, he says in response, throwing a disarming smile in Misa’s direction. Misa perks up, clapping her hands.

'Oh please Rem please, I haven’t spend time with Light since _ages_ -’

'I will buy everything in the shop right now and buy Misa-Misa a ticket to Hideki Ryuga’s concert as well as a ticket to the art show you’ve always wanted to go to, Rem, _only if you give me that cheesecake_.’

Silence.

Mello punches the air in triumph as Sayu stares at L, aghast, though it was hard to tell whether it was because of the casual mention of Hideki Ryuga’s concert ticket or the overall effect L had. Misa had stopped clapping and gazed at L in newfound wonder. Watari’s face was still impassive, possibly calculating the financial implications of L’s offer in his head.

L and Light however, had eyes only for each other.

Rem breaks the silence first.

'The _entire_ shop? Well, that does make for a better offer…and I have wanted to go to Kiyomi Takada’s art show for a while…’ her voice trails off but it was clear. L had won.

Mello eagerly takes the cheesecake out of Misa’s hands who was still busy staring at L. Rem starts instructing other helpers to pack everything in boxes and Watari taps L on the shoulder, who hands him a credit card, without breaking his gaze away from Light.

Sayu sighs dejectedly as she turned and walked away, rubbing at her eyes. Light breaks the gaze reluctantly and throws L an icy glare from the doors as she walks out of the shop.

'That wasn’t very nice of you’, Watari comments mildly after Light pushed the door open and left.

'Who cares? We _won_ the cheesecake!’ Mello exclaims excitedly.

 

 

'Do we _really_ have to do this?’ Mello grumbles as he walks alongside L. L is holding a box wrapped in pastel pink and blue paper, and they are currently standing in front of the Yagami household. Watari is waiting in the limo parked outside. 'I don’t understand, and who are you even dressed as? Your hair looks weird. Wait- _oh my-_ ’

L hushes him with a finger and rang the doorbell. They wait for a few seconds while Mello fidgets awkwardly, kicking at the gravel. He still had no idea why his brother was doing this. L stares intently at the door, waiting patiently. The door swings open and Light appears at the doorway, his mouth half opened in surprise.

'Trick or treat’, L says.

Light folds his arms and leans against the door, an eyebrow raised. 'Aren’t you a little too old for trick-or-treating?’

'Age is just a number, Light-kun’, L replies.

Light rolls his eyes. 'What do you want?’

'Would you please call your sister? We have something for her.’ L holds up the box in his hands. Light looks at him and then at the box.

'What’s in there? Why do you want to talk to my sister?’ he asks suspiciously.

'Nothing dangerous, I assure you. In fact, it will only cheer her up’, L replies confidently.

Light frowns but turns away slightly.

'Sayu! Can you come here for a moment please?’

'What do you want?’ Sayu’s voice rings from inside the house, sounding annoyed. She peeks around the door. Her eyebrows shoot up when she sees L and Mello. Then she scowls. 'What are _they_ doing here?’

L holds out the box to her. 'As an apology for our behaviour earlier today in Rem’s shop, consider this a peace offering. I got a little carried away. Mello would also’, he nudges Mello with his elbow, 'like to apologize’.

Mello looks down at his shoes. 'Sorry’, he mutters. 'Enjoy the cheesecake.’

'Cheesecake?’ Sayu’s excited yell hurts Light’s ears and she quickly grabs the box from L’s hands and rips open the packaging. The strawberry cheesecake sat inside the box, undoubtedly from Rem’s. 'OH MY GOD THANK YOU!’ Sayu all but screams in excitement and runs inside the house, eager to dig in. 'You are forgiven!’ she yells from inside. They could hear Light’s mother asking what the commotion was about and Sayu giving her an explanation. Mello forces himself not to smile; cheesecake love is infectious.

He then turns to look at L and ask him to leave, but L’s eyes are fixed on Light, his face unreadable. Mello opens his mouth to say something when he sees Light, that stuck-up _bossy, rude asshole_ who apparently hates his brother as much as his brother hates him, looking back at L with an expression that was equal parts exasperation and endearment. There is a very tiny smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

'Er, I will see you later, L’, he says and runs back to the car, telling Watari that L will join them later. Things were getting too weird these days.

 

 

Light and L stand there in awkward silence after Mello’s abrupt departure, both finding it difficult to close the gap between them. After a few seconds, Light decides to speak.

'Who are you even dressed as?’ he asks. It is weird seeing L dressed in anything other than his white shirt and baggy jeans, especially when the shirt collar looks crisp and ironed, the sweater vest freshly washed. He had even combed his hair and gelled it apparently, bangs covering his forehead. It is unnerving to see L so neat and tidy. He looks almost handsome, though Light preferred him –No.  Light did not prefer him in anyway. 'You look suspiciously like that singer Sayu listens to. Justin Bieber?’ he accuses L.

L smirks, the awkwardness fading away. 'Actually’, he drawls, 'I am dressed like you. See?’ He points at the khaki pants.

Light narrows his eyes,offended. ‘I don’t act like that at all,’ he says, scowling.

L’s smirk widens. Just to see it vanish, Light broaches the question, 'Is this some weird sort of apology too? You dressing up like me?’

L frowns. 'Not...really. I was going to dress up as you anyway, just to see if you would get annoyed but the cheesecake incident was not part of the plan’. He coughs uncomfortably. 'I didn’t meant to hurt your sister, but um..’ he hesitates, rubbing the back of his neck, ‘I got a little carried away, like I said earlier…of course, partially it was your fault since you provoked me-’

'I provoked you? You were the one who brought up that _thing_ in front of my sister when we made a deal not to!’ Light snaps.

L rolls his eyes. 'You could have easily talked your way out of it Light, you’re clever. I, on the other hand, had to deal with Watari’s passive-aggressive comments all this time and had to do all this just to shut him up’.

Light deflates slightly. 'So you came here only because he asked you to?’

L’s wide eyes scan his face. 'Well, it was his idea. You know I am not really that thoughtful in the first place. Besides, he was the one who persuaded Rem to make another cheesecake…’

Light looks at him calculatingly. 'Okay, alright’, he says coolly.  'Thank you for the cheesecake, I will see you later’ Light says, reaching behind to close the door.

L realizes he had made a mistake.

'Wait’, L’s is in front of him in seconds, hand shot out to hold the door before Light could close it. 'I-’

L isn’t really sure what he wants to say. Just that he wanted to say _something,_ that he had been meaning to since that one time under the cherry blossoms. 'Um’, he fumbles with words. It was rare that he is rendered speechless like this.

'What?’ Light snaps. L looks at him and recalls the tiny, tiny smile he had managed to catch earlier. So he moves.

His hands move on their own, leaving the cool door handle and uniting with the warm, smooth skin of Light’s jaw. Light’s eyes register a moment of surprise before he too, leans forward till their lips close the distance.

It was over before they could realize, Light clutching L’s shirt, L’s palms on his cheek. L opened his mouth.

'I may be wrong, but I was 89% sure, judging by what I had observed from the dilation of your pupils whenever we were close. I had consulted several books too, but the research on this matter has been inconclusive. But in any case, I’d hoped you feel- ’

'Yes’, Light interrupts him.

’ - yes?’

'Yeah’, Light nods confidently, 'yeah, definitely.’

'Oh,’ L breathes, a little startled. 'Okay so, you want this too?’  he repeats, as if unsure he’d understood correctly. ‘Can I kiss you now? Because you didn’t seem to react too well before -’ he asks.

'No.’

’- _no_?’

'I mean, wait’, Light adds hurriedly, hands coming up in the air aimlessly. He fists them once or twice, as if not knowing exactly what to do with them before reaching out towards L and ruffling his hair. L frowns.

'Light what the fuck.'

'It’s weird to kiss you when your hair looks like mine!’

’…oh.’ Realization dawns on L’s face. Then he smirks. 'I thought that would be your wet dream, to kiss someone who looks like you’.

'Shut up’, Light barks at him, fisting L’s collar in his hand and pulling him forward. 'Shut up’, he breathes.

'Okay’, L replies, as his arms pull Light closer towards him by the waist. 'Okay.’

 

 

'You guys are so weird’, Sayu rolls her eyes at Light’s kiss-bruised lips and the general state of undress an hour later as L leaves almost unwillingly, hauled away by Watari, and Mello, who looked like he’d swallowed a lot of bitter pills. 'I can’t believe I almost missed out on Rem’s cheesecake because of your unresolved sexual tension’.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave feedback if you can.  
> You can also read the unedited version at http://secretshinigami.tumblr.com/post/152589662630/cheesecake


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